Education’s problem if supply outweighs demand?

I read with great interest the letter from Melvin Rutter (DW 9 May).

Having recently advertised with Design Week for a junior graphic designer to join our busy team we were staggered with the response.

While this is creditable for the impact Design Week appointments has in the design job market, receipt of in the region of 400 responses (and they are still coming in) is as worrying as it is gratifying.

For 20 years I have earned a reasonable living in the design industry and have actively encouraged anyone showing an interest in the business.

However, a good proportion of applicants for jobs would appear to have very little natural aptitude or talent and I am now reluctant to recommend design as a career path. I too have little joy finding good joiners, plumbers, electricians and so on.

There is something very wrong with an education system that churns out people for jobs that just don’t exist.

Is there any research available showing the number of students leaving design courses each year with design qualifications set against job availability in the market place? It would be good to see the figures.

Mark Fanthorpe

Director

Umbrella Design

London EC1

mark@umbrelladesign.co.uk